Chair



(No Model.) 7

H. U. POHL. GHAIR.

No. 444,992. Patented Jan. 20, 1891.

9 W/ TNE SSE S IN VE N TOR B) cmww M g A TTOHNE Y8 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY U. POHL, OF SAGINAIV, MICHIGAN.

CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,992, dated January 20, 1891.

To ail whom it may concern.-

.lleit known that I, HENRY U. POHL, of Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chairs, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in chairs, especially to rocking-chairs, and has for its object to provide a means wherebythe several parts of the chair may at the will of the operator be so adjusted that the occupant of the chair can assume a comfortable reclining position; and a further object of the invention is to construct the several parts of the chair in a simple and durable manner, and to so unite the several parts that. they will opoperate in perfect harmony.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the chair when used as a rocker, and Fig. 2 is a partial elevation of the back of the chair. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the chair when thrown to the couch position, and Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of one of the arms of the chair.

In carrying out the invention the chair is essentially constructed in three parts-name- 1y, a rocker-section A, a back-section B, and a seat-section O.

The rocker-section comprises two rockers 10, of any approved shape, having produced in their upper edges a series of undercut recesses 11, the inclination of the walls of the recesses being downward in the direction of the front. The recesses upon one rocker are so cut as to be in transverse alignment with those upon the opposite rocker.

. The rockers are united,preferably, by two cross-bars 12 and 13, located, respectively, one near the rear and the other at or near the front. The seat-section consists of two curved arms 14, one end of each arm being pivot-ally secured to the outer face of a rocker near the rear end thereof.

From a point near the front of the arms 14 to a point at or near the center of the same they are connected by a series of transverse slats 15, the front slat 16 being preferably larger and rounded at its outer face, and provided with a recess 16 in its under face, as best shown in Fig. 1.

Between the forward ends of the arms 14 of the seat-section and beneath the recesses 16" in said section the upperend of a seat-extension D is pivoted,the said extensionbeing adapted, when the chair is brought to the reclining position, as a rest for the feet. The extension D is preferably narrower than the seat; but the upper bar of the extension, which forms its pivot, is of sufficient length to extend from one arm 14 to the other. The body of the extension D comprises two opposed side bars 17, connected by a series of slats 18. In the lower end of each of the side bars of the foot-rest or extension D a pad 19, of an elastic substance, such as rubber, is insertechand at the lower extremity of this extension-section D a stop or rest 20 for the feet is transversely pivoted in such manner that when the chair is used as a rocker and the extension D is brought to a practically vertical position the slat or rest 20 will assume a position at a right angle to the body of the extension and form a comfortable support for the feet of the occupant of the chair.

The back-section B consists of two side bars 21, pivoted or fulcrumed between the seat-arms 1 1, immediately to the rear of the rear slat 15. A series of slats 22 connects the side arms 21 of the back, which slats are arranged to extend transversely between the arms from a point at the top of the latter to the pivotal connection of the back arms 21 with the seat-arms 14:. The lower slat in the back is made thicker than the rest and its outer face is concave, as illustrated at 23 in Fig. 1, in order to better accommodate the back of the occupant of the chair. The back is made in two sections namely,alower section a and an upper section a. The upper section is the shorter section and is hinged to the lower section, as shown in Figs. 1 and lower section when desired. The two hinged members of the back-sections are also united at their lower or contacting ends by'springs 3, so that it can be inclined at an angle to the 24, connected at their lower extremities by a crossbar 25. The upper portions of the springs are secured in recesses 26, produced in the back of the side bars 21 of the upper member a, and in corresponding recesses 27 in the lower member a of the back plates are secured, having produced therein a number of apertures, into which apertures pins 29, secured to the springs, are adapted to enter, one pin being attached to each spring near its lower end. The springs 2t are tensioned to spring in toward the back of the lower section, so that their pins will be firmly held in the apertures of the lower section, in which they are placed. By placing the pins in one or the other of the apertures in the plates above referred to the upper member may be held in alignment with the lower member, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, or inclined at an angle thereto, as shown in dotted lines in said figures, as the occupant of the chair may desire. When the sections of the back are locked in position, any pressure on the forward side of the upper section like that of the occupants head tends to force the pins into the apertures and hold the parts more firmly in the position to which they have been adjusted, and when the upper section is adjusted at an angle to the lower section, as shown in dotted lines, the said upper sec tion will be yieldingly supported by the springs. Both springs are regulated simultaneously by manipulating their connecting cross-bar 25.

To the inner face of the lower ends of the back side pieces 21 extension-blocks 30 are fastened, the front upper edges of which are beveled, as shown in Fig. 3, and in the lower extremities of these extension-blocks 30 the ends of a lock cross-bar 31 are secured, the said lock-bar being adapted to enter into one of the series of undercut recesses 11 in the rockers and retain the back in an upright or more or less inclined position. As the side bars of the back and seat are pivotally connected, when the back is carried to the upright position the seat is made to assume substantially a horizontal position, and when the back is inclined the seat follows the inclination. The extension D is made to move in unison with the seat-back by means of hinged connecting-bars 32, pivoted to the side bars of the extension and the side bars of the back of the chair. Thus the extension, when not required, may be folded up beneath the seat.

hen the back of the chair is carried to the upright position, the extension is made to assume a vertical position and constitute the front of the chair, as best illustrated in Fig. 1, and when the back is inclined the extension assumes the horizontal position shown in Fig. 3 and serves as a support for the feet of the occupant of the chair.

The arms E of the chair are pivoted at their rear ends to the side bars of the back,

and at the ends of the concaved surface recesses are made into which the extremities of pliable strips 34, of wood or metal, are sprung.

It will be observed that. when the chair is brought to an inclined position the seat side bars rest upon and are supported by the beveled surfaces of the extension-blocks 30. The rubber tips or blocks 19, secured in the extremities of the foot-extension D, by contacting with the floor limit the forward movement of the rockers. The rockers may be omitted and the chair provided with legs instead.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A folding rockingchaiu consisting of rockers having undercut recesses in their upper edges, a seat pivoted to the rockers,a back pivoted to the seat and provided with a cross-bar at its lower end adapted to enter the recess of the rockers, arms pivoted tothe back, links pivoted to the seat and arms, a foot-rest pivoted between the side bars of the seat, and links pivoted to the foot-rest and to the lower end of the back, substantially as described.

2. A folding rocking-chair consisting of rockers having undercut recessesin their upper edges, a seat pivoted to the rockers, a

back formed of two hinged sections pivoted to the seat and provided with a cross-rod at the lower end of the lower section, arms pivoted to the back, links pivoted to the seat and arms, a foot-rest pivoted between the side bars of the seat, and links pivoted to the footrest and to the lower ends of the lower backsection, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a chair, the combination, with aback formed of two sections hinged together, of springs secured to one section and provided with pins adapted to enter apertures in the other section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a chair, an arm having a concave upper surface, recesses in the extremities of said concave surface, and astrip of pliable material sprunginto said recesses over the said concave surface, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

HENRY U. POHL.

Vitnesses: H. Prsromus, A. SPOLTHOFF. 

